Fisheries and Marine Life

I. Global Fisheries

II. Regional Fisheries

III. Marine Life

I. Global Fisheries

  1. Atlantic Salmon Federation – International nonprofit dedicated to wild Atlantic salmon.
  2. Jean-Michel Cousteau’ Ocean Futures Society – Organization “committed to educating the public on marine conservation and finding sustainable solutions to protect our ocean planet.”
  3. Ocean Conservancy – “5 Reasons You Depend on Healthy Fisheries” article from the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy.
  4. SeaWeb – International charity with links to information on fisheries.

II. Regional Fisheries

  1. Australia: Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) – Australian Government agency that monitors commercial Commonwealth fishing.
  2. Australia: Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia – Links to information on fishing and whale watching in Western Australia.
  3. Canada: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) – Information on fisheries and oceans in Canada.
  4. Canada: Living Oceans Society – Information on salmon farming on Canada’s Pacific coast.
  5. EU: Deep Sea Conservation Coalition – Coalition pushing for strong EU regulations to ensure sustainable deep-sea fisheries.
  6. Japan: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) – Links to reports and statistics on fisheries in Japan; MAFF is a government funded agency of Japan.
  7. US: MarineBio – US-based nonprofit ocean conservation and research organization with information on sustainable fisheries.
  8. US: American Fisheries Society – US-based nonprofit with regional chapters on organizations dedicated to fisheries and fisheries issues.
  9. US: Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR) – US nonprofit in San Francisco established by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) and works on its habitat protection program.
  10. US: Marine Fish Conservation Network – A “coalition of commercial and recreational fishing associations, regional and national conservation groups, aquaria, and marine science organizations” dedicated to ocean fisheries.
  11. US: National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) – Links to organizations and information about US fisheries.
  12. US: NOAA Fisheries – Seafood Inspection Program – US Government seafood inspection program.
  13. US: US Department of Justice – Overview of “Protecting Ocean Fisheries – the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.” More information on the Act on the NOAA website, here.
  14. US: US Fish and Wildlife Service – Clickable US map with links to regional fisheries.
  15. US – Alaska: Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) – Nonprofit for Alaska region. One of two regional fisheries development foundations.
  16. US – Alaska: Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (SSRAA) – US-based nonprofit with information on Southeast Alaska fisheries.
  17. US – Alaska: Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (NSRAA) – US-based nonprofit with information on Alaska region hatcheries.
  18. US – Alaska: United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) – US-based nonprofit with “Commercial Fishing Facts” page.
  19. US – Atlantic: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission – A “deliberative body of the Atlantic coastal states, coordinating the conservation and management of 25 nearshore fish species” funded through a combination of member state dues and state and federal grants.
  20. US – Gulf: Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. – Nonprofit for Gulf region. One of two regional fisheries development foundations.
  21. US – Gulf: Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission – US government organization on behalf of the five gulf states.
  22. US – Florida: Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida – A nonprofit “that seeks to protect our outstanding animals and plants and the lands and waters they need to survive. We work closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and many other public and private partners.”
  23. US – Hawaii: West Hawai’i Fishery Council – Online information about West Hawaii marine managed areas.
  24. US – Maine: Maine Lobstermen’s Association – This association “advocates for a sustainable lobster resource and the fishermen and communities that depend on it.” 
  25. US – North Carolina: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission – State agency with information on North Carolina hatcheries.
  26. US – Oregon: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife – Information on state fishing and fisheries.
  27. US – Pacific: NOAA Fisheries – A “joint effort between NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, offering cutting-edge science to help inform management decisions in an ever-changing environment.”
  28. US – Pacific: Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) – Organization dedicated to “promote the better utilization of fisheries” for member states California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.
  29. US – Pacific: Pelagic Fisheries Research Program – Provides scientific information on pelagic fisheries to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. Pelagic “refers to fish that live in the near-surface waters of the ocean, often far from shore.”
  30. US – Rhode Island: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management – Marine Fisheries Section.
  31. US- US Regional Fishery Management Councils – There are 8 councils in the United States. “The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the main law that governs fishing in U.S. federal waters, ranging from 3 to 200 miles offshore. First passed in 1976, the MSA established a 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and created eight regional fishery management councils to manage our nation’s marine fishery resources. This unprecedented management system gives fishery managers the flexibility to use local level input to develop management strategies appropriate for each region’s unique fisheries, challenges, and opportunities.”
  32. Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) – Includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
  33. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council – Its jurisdiction “extends from three to 200 miles off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and nine to 200 miles off Texas and the west coast of Florida.”
  34. Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council – Responsible for the “conservation and management of fishery resources within U.S. federal waters … fisheries from 3 to 200 miles off the coasts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina (NC is also represented on the South Atlantic Council).”
  35. New England Fishery Management Council – Responsible for “managing fishery resources from three to 200 miles off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.”
  36. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council – It is “responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and east Florida to Key West.”
  37. Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council – Its jurisdiction includes Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  38. North Pacific Fishery Management Council – Responsible for “conserving and managing fishery resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Alaska. With jurisdiction over approximately 900,000-square-miles, the Council has primary responsibility for groundfish management in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.”
  39. Pacific Fishery Management Council – Has “jurisdiction over the 317,690 square mile exclusive economic zone off Washington, Oregon and California.”

III. Marine Life

Marine Species

  1. American Cetacean Society – Its mission is to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats.
  2. Center for Cetacean Research and Conservation – Whaleresearch.org – Dedicated to whales and dolphins globally. 
  3. Scripps Institution of Oceanography – “Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation” information page.
  4. Cetacean Society International – Nonprofit conservation, education and research organization devoted to whales, dolphins and porpoises.
  5. Defenders of Wildlife – US based charity that has a Marine Fact Sheet and links to marine species and issues.
  6. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) – Organization dedicated to international wildlife conservation 
  7. Friends of the Sea Otter (FSO) – Advocacy group for the sea otter; now merged with Defenders of Wildlife.
  8. Hawaii Wildlife Fund – US-based nonprofit with “Marine Life of Hawai’i” page.
  9. Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust – Charity that works “directly with local communities to ensure whales, dolphins and porpoises are protected and valued throughout Scotland’s west coast.”
  10. International Fund for Animal Welfare – US-based nonprofit that has a campaign to end commercial whaling and seal hunts.
  11. International Game Fish Association – US-based nonprofit promoting conservation of game fish.
  12. International Whaling Commission – The Commission “undertakes extensive study and research on cetacean populations, develops and maintains scientific databases, and publishes its own peer reviewed scientific journal, the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management.”
  13. Marine Connection – UK charity dedicated to dolphins, whales and porpoises.
  14. Marine Life Information Network – MarLIN – An initiative of the Marine Biological Association of the UK that has a review of the “effects of human activities and natural events on marine species and habitats.”
  15. Marine Mammal Center – US-based nonprofit that has an Adopt-a-Seal program.
  16. National Wildlife Federation – US-based nonprofit that has a “Restoring the Gulf” page.
  17. Oceana – “Ocean Animal Encyclopedia” page.
  18. Oceanic Research Group – Nonprofit “dedicated to the conservation of the world’s oceans and marine life through education.”
  19. Oceans Research – Organization that “provides and facilitates innovative and dynamic research relevant to the management and conservation of Southern Africa’s wildlife.”
  20. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department – Oregon State Parks whale watching information.
  21. Pacific Marine Mammal Center – Pacific Marine Mammal Center Webcam shows the Laguna, Ca., nonprofit’s patients, marine animals, recuperating.
  22. Point Blue – US-based nonprofit working “to help shape ocean management to reduce threats and ensure sustainable human uses, giving time for wildlife to adapt to climate change.”
  23. Polar Bears International – International nonprofit with a focus only on polar bears, and posts video clips of them in action.
  24. Project Seahorse – Conservation organization, and partner with University of British Columbia, Zoological Society of London, and John G. Shedd Aquarium, dedicated to protecting seahorses; iSeahorse.org tracks seahorse sightings.
  25. Save the Manatee Club – US-based nonprofit with an Adopt-A-Manatee program.
  26. Sea Turtle Conservancy – Nonprofit “raising awareness and protection for sea turtles across the globe.”
  27. Shark Research Institute (SRI) – US-based nonprofit that researches sharks and promotes their conservation.
  28. Shark Trust – UK organization dedicated to sharks.
  29. Support Our Sharks (SOS) Ocean Conservation Society – Dedicated to protecting sharks.
  30. Turtle Island Restoration Network – US-based nonprofit dedicated to issues facing sea turtles and other marine life.
  31. Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) – US-based nonprofit with a Whale Adoption Project.
  32. Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Centre (WSORC) – Nonprofit established to research whale sharks in Honduras.
  33. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) – A US-based nonprofit oceanographic research organization, with an online “Ocean Life Institute” page.
  34. World Ocean Observatory – Organization with a “World Register of Marine Species” page.

Endangered Marine Species

  1. Center for Biological Diversity – Nonprofit has an “Oceans” page that lists information on marine species they seek to protect.
  2. Marine Mammal Commission – Independent US government agency with link to “Marine Mammal Species and Populations of Concern” page, including list of endangered or threatened marine wildlife.
  3. Endangered Species Coalition – US-based nonprofit that lists marine species on the endangered list.
  4. Turtle Island Restoration Network – US-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting endangered marine species.
  5. Marine Life Information Network – MarLIN – An initiative of the Marine Biological Association of the UK that has a review of the “effects of human activities and natural events on marine species and habitats.”

Invasive Species

  1. European Network on Invasive Alien Species (NOBANIS) – Organization posts links to invasive alien species on the “Identification key to marine invasive species in Nordic waters” page.
  2. Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) – Organization “manages Aliens-L, a list server dedicated to invasive species that threaten biodiversity.”
  3. Marine Invasions Research Lab, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center – Center for research on invasive species.
  4. United States Department of Agriculture – National Invasive Species Information Center – Maintains an invasive “Species Profiles” page.